The present invention relates to a printer processor, and more particularly to an apparatus for printing a photographic image and a CRT image on a photographic paper.
Recently, a mini-laboratory type printer processor has been widely used which can easily make a print. The printer processor of this type has an exposure unit (printer) mounted facing a negative carrier and a photograph development processing unit (processor) mounted on one side of the exposure unit. A reversal film or a negative film set on the negative carrier is scanned and photometrically measured to automatically determine an exposure value. Upon operating the print key, the photographic image of a film is printed on a photographic paper which is then transported to the photograph development processing unit where it is developed. Finally, the photographic paper is cut into a frame and ejected.
A video printer processor for printing a CRT image on a photographic paper and producing a CRT image print has also been proposed, the CRT image including an image obtained using a TV camera, an image of characters inputted through a keyboard, a computer graphics image obtained using a digitizer for example, and an image obtained by electrically combining such images.
Conventional photograph printer processors and video printer processors have been manufactured as dedicated devices. Therefore, two printer processors are needed to produce both photographic prints and video prints, thus resulting in high cost, expensive maintenance, and requiring a large installation area.